Knowing that almost everyone else will be hating it and therefore if you can turn that round, you'll have a significant advantage over all of them. I used to love racing when the weather was crap. I still get a perverse enjoyment out of riding in crap conditions.

On a more practical level, get kit that means that you stay warm so that the crap weather is no more than a distraction - eg you're not cold.

I'm currently undertaking some Road BC training. The don't recommend anything that draws blood way form the muscles as this reduces potential performance. The recommend baby oil rub in well - keeps the heat in, water off and doesn't affect your ability.

To paraphrase Bleeding Gums Murphy from the Simpsons... Winter XC racing isn't about making yourself happy, it's about making others more miserable than you

Or Billy Connolly... there's no such thing as bad weather just the wrong clothes

Well those are the best cheesy quotes I can come up with. I love a good muddy ride/ race and if you have the opportunity to do so and can't be arsed then don't rub it in for those of us struggling for time/ injuries/ transport/ etc. Summary MTFU

I'm currently undertaking some Road BC training. The don't recommend anything that draws blood way form the muscles as this reduces potential performance. The recommend baby oil rub in well - keeps the heat in, water off and doesn't affect your ability.

I've heard that before. Its not really during thats an issue (when it was really bad in Ireland i wore leg warmers and a good warm up on the rollers helps too), but its the fact that my legs get so cold during a cold/wet race that it affects recovery for the next day (same in training too) My coach suggested vaseline, but everything will stick to that! And yes, i know wtfu. Sorry for the thread hijack!

Why do people race inappropriately clothed for the conditions then complain of feeling cold and wet? Genuine question. Like seeing roadies out in shorts in the UK in near zero conditions... quite a contrast to Spain where the local roadies seemed to have dozens of layers, arm warmer, leg warmers, hats, etc in anything less than 20 degrees C (I realise this isn't a racing example but shows the variation in attitudes to clothing)

I use:
Blue Morgan in the summer, not warm but smells nice and give a good shine which in turn looks pro in pictures
Rapha for spring/autumn, warm but not chili levels of heat, nice packaging
Linnex for deep winter, yeah there's some heat in this one, careful in the showers afterwards!

When doing them, the thoughts of how good the summer riding is going to be and how ither folk will think you are a nutcase for doing it. When doing the Strathpuffer on the last lap before hand over I could taste the fry up I was about to have.....

I've only ever done the two hour (did round 1 last month, but not going to bother with the rest) and you don't really have time to think about the cold/wet/mud.
The worst bit is the start and it helps if you have a groupie, so you can wear a thick coat on the start line and chuck it to them just before the start.

It stays pretty warm in the trees, so you don't want to over-dress. Always amazes me that some people wear full on riding trousers & jackets.
Once you get going, you just get on with it. Make sure you have decent warm gloves & overshoes if it's going to be muddy. I use mud guards too if it's going to be really wet, but that's probably a big racing no-no amongst the 'proper' riders. I just mince round near the back, so don't worry about 200g of extra weight if it keeps me a bit drier.

Just think of the bacon & egg bap you'll have deserved when you finish.